07-02-2011, 05:00 PM
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#19
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Rookie
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Re: Opinions on my new Pistons Association (nba 2k11)
The Anatomy of a Trade
Why was Nick Young Dealt?
After speaking with 3rd-year Pistons GM Aaron Woods on a conference call detailing the reasoning behind this morning's stunning transaction, it's safe to say that this move was the epitome of "addition by subtraction."
Don't get us wrong here. Young was a great locker room guy and had zero issues with the organization or his teammates. But even the most casual of fans could notice a downward trend in his offensive production beginning with the playoffs last season, particularly in the conference finals against the Heat (6ppg average) where he was wildly inconsistent shooting the ball.
Well that trend has carried over into this season, where so far over three games, he's averaging just over 2 points a game in 20 mpg. Quite simply, that just isn't going to cut it. Perhaps coming off the bench has begun to take its toll on Young's confidence. Such an occurrence certainly wouldn't be unheard of, and if this move can help restore some of that confidence to Young's game, then all parties benefit from this move.
But even beyond the statistical shortcomings, maintaining locker room harmony was at the epicenter of this deal (and of course another 1st round pick this year doesn't hurt either). Rumor has it that reserve players Ben Uzoh and Dorell Wright have begun to show ever-so-slight displeasure about not receiving enough minutes.....particularly when those minutes are going to a guy who is not producing.
This move should short circuit any potential distractions before they even arise, and under that reasoning this deal makes complete sense (even if we didn't see it coming).
What The Nets Are Getting:
-A still-only-28-year-old who has proven to possess a potent shooting touch over the course of his career. Pairing him with backcourt mate Deron Williams should only serve to raise his level of production.
What The Pistons Are Getting:
-As previously mentioned, this deal was not about acquiring Travis Outlaw, at least not at its heart. The Pistons possibly avert any brewing locker room discord and obtain a second 1st Round Pick in this season's draft....and that is significant. Those picks can be used on two young talented players to develop behind the scenes, they can be packaged together to move up in the draft to select just one--albeit theoretically better--such player, or they could possibly deal the picks for an established NBA player. We propose that this deal was much more about the included draft pick than the included player.
So what KIND of player are they getting in Travis Outlaw? Statistically, the 29-year-old swing forward has averaged just under 9 points and 3 rebounds as primarily a reserve player over the course of his 11-year career.
Beyond the numbers though, he's a SF with the versatility to play some at the 4. He has good athleticism and has decent shooting range. Odds are he won't be a heavy contributor off the bench here in Detroit, but he will see a couple minutes a game, further diversifying this Pistons second unit.
Final Verdict: This trade makes sense from a number of different angles and seems to benefit all parties involved.
Check www.pistonpower.com daily for Detroit Pistons news and updates!
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